2. Paul D. Ronney Dept. of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90089-1453 USA Presented at Jhong-Li High Presented at Jhong-Li High School, 3 October 2005 School, 3 October 2005 http://ronney.usc.edu http://ronney.usc.edu

3. University of Southern California Established 125 years ago this week! Established 125 years ago this week! …jointly by a Catholic, a Protestant and a Jew - USC has always been a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, coeducational university …jointly by a Catholic, a Protestant and a Jew - USC has always been a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, coeducational university Today: 32,000 students, 3000 faculty Today: 32,000 students, 3000 faculty 2 main campuses: University Park and Health Sciences 2 main campuses: University Park and Health Sciences USC Trojans football team ranked #1 in USA last 2 years USC Trojans football team ranked #1 in USA last 2 years

4. USC Viterbi School of Engineering Naming gift by Andrew & Erma Viterbi Naming gift by Andrew & Erma Viterbi Andrew Viterbi: co-founder of Qualcomm, co-inventor of CDMA Andrew Viterbi: co-founder of Qualcomm, co-inventor of CDMA 1900 undergraduates, 3300 graduate students, 165 faculty, 30 degree options 1900 undergraduates, 3300 graduate students, 165 faculty, 30 degree options $135 million external research funding $135 million external research funding Distance Education Network (DEN): 900 students in 28 M.S. degree programs; 171 MS degrees awarded in 2005 Distance Education Network (DEN): 900 students in 28 M.S. degree programs; 171 MS degrees awarded in 2005 More info: http://viterbi.usc.edu More info: http://viterbi.usc.eduhttp://viterbi.usc.edu

5. Paul Ronney B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley M.S. Aeronautics, Caltech M.S. Aeronautics, Caltech Ph.D. in Aeronautics & Astronautics, MIT Ph.D. in Aeronautics & Astronautics, MIT Postdocs: NASA Glenn, Cleveland; US Naval Research Lab, Washington DC Postdocs: NASA Glenn, Cleveland; US Naval Research Lab, Washington DC Assistant Professor, Princeton University Assistant Professor, Princeton University Associate/Full Professor, USC Associate/Full Professor, USC Research interests Research interests Microscale combustion and power generation Microscale combustion and power generation (10/4, INER; 10/5 NCKU) Microgravity combustion and fluid mechanics (10/4, NCU) Microgravity combustion and fluid mechanics (10/4, NCU) Turbulent combustion (10/7, NTHU) Turbulent combustion (10/7, NTHU) Internal combustion engines Internal combustion engines Ignition, flammability, extinction limits of flames (10/3, NCU) Ignition, flammability, extinction limits of flames (10/3, NCU) Flame spread over solid fuel beds Flame spread over solid fuel beds Biophysics and biofilms (10/6, NCKU) Biophysics and biofilms (10/6, NCKU)

6. Paul Ronney

8. What is gravity?  4 forces of nature  Gravity force  Electromagnetic force  Strong nuclear force  Weak nuclear force  Gravity is the attractive force between any two objects  Gravity is the most constant feature of our lives  Aristotle's "laws" of nature: heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects  Galileo Galilei proved this wrong!

9. Gravity on the planets and the moon Earth 1 g Moon 1/6 g Mars 1/3 g Jupiter 2.5 g Saturn 1.1 g

10. What happens when there is no gravity? “Microgravity” (µg) “Microgravity” (µg) Simple example - candle flame Simple example - candle flame Hot gases don’t rise - flame shape and burning rate are different Hot gases don’t rise - flame shape and burning rate are different 1g µg 1g µg

11. Why study microgravity? Material science Earth-grown crystal: defects in structure Space-grown crystal: nearly perfect structure

12. Biotechnology

13. Fundamental physics Einstein predicted that space-time is warped by gravity Satellite experiment to test Einstein’s prediction more accurately than is possible on earth

14. How do we remove gravity? - free-fall Japan Microgravity Center - Kamisunagawa, Hokkaido Largest microgravity facility on earth

15. JAMIC drop shaft

16. Aircraft flying special paths

17. Orbiting spacecraft

18. International Space Station

19. Example of microgravity research - “FLAME BALLS” Predicted by Russian physicist Yakov B. Zeldovich in 1944, but no experimental evidence until …. Predicted by Russian physicist Yakov B. Zeldovich in 1944, but no experimental evidence until ….

20. Flame balls - history Ronney (1990): flame balls accidentally discovered in very weak hydrogen-air mixtures in drop-tower experiment Ronney (1990): flame balls accidentally discovered in very weak hydrogen-air mixtures in drop-tower experiment

21. Flame balls - history Results confirmed in aircraft flights, but aircraft vibrations problematic Results confirmed in aircraft flights, but aircraft vibrations problematic

22. Implementation of space experiment Need space experiment - long duration, high quality µg Need space experiment - long duration, high quality µg Structure Of Flame Balls At Low Lewis-number (SOFBALL) Structure Of Flame Balls At Low Lewis-number (SOFBALL) 2 NASA Space Shuttle missions (April 4 - 8, 1997, July 1 - 16, 1997) 2 NASA Space Shuttle missions (April 4 - 8, 1997, July 1 - 16, 1997)

23. Implementation of space experiment Combustion Module-1 (CM-1) facility Combustion Module-1 (CM-1) facility 15 different mixtures burned 15 different mixtures burned

24. Experimental apparatus Combustion vessel Combustion vessel Spark ignition system Spark ignition system Video cameras Video cameras Temperature, pressure, heat transfer Temperature, pressure, heat transfer

25. Flame balls - practical importance Fire safety in manned spacecraft - space shuttle and International Space Station Fire safety in manned spacecraft - space shuttle and International Space Station Flame ball - simplest possible flame - test combustion models Flame ball - simplest possible flame - test combustion models Improved understanding of combustion of weak mixtures - can provide better fuel efficiency & lower pollutant emission, but better scientific understanding needed Improved understanding of combustion of weak mixtures - can provide better fuel efficiency & lower pollutant emission, but better scientific understanding needed

26. Practical importance

27. Flame balls in space Stable for more than 500 seconds (!) Stable for more than 500 seconds (!) Weakest flames ever burned (1 – 2 Watts/ball) (birthday candle ≈ 50 Watts) Weakest flames ever burned (1 – 2 Watts/ball) (birthday candle ≈ 50 Watts) 4.0% H 2 -air, 223 sec elapsed time 4.9% H 2 - 9.8% O 2 - 85.3% CO 2, 500 sec 6.6% H 2 - 13.2% O 2 - 79.2% SF 6, 500 sec

28. Astronaut Janice Voss with Zel’dovich’s watch

29. Re-flight on STS-107 / Columbia mission SOFBALL mission re-flown on STS-107 / Columbia’s last flight to obtain additional scientific results SOFBALL mission re-flown on STS-107 / Columbia’s last flight to obtain additional scientific results Much of experimental data obtained despite loss of Columbia and crew by “downlinking” data to the ground during the mission Much of experimental data obtained despite loss of Columbia and crew by “downlinking” data to the ground during the mission

30. Crew operations

31. Thanks Dave, Ilan, KC and Mike!

32. …and the rest!

33. Space flight training 2 types of training 2 types of training Orbiter-related Orbiter-related Launch & entry Launch & entry Living in space Living in space Photography, videography Photography, videography Payload related Payload related Science background Science background Procedures and schedules Procedures and schedules Performing experiments Performing experiments On-orbit repair On-orbit repair Not like “The Right Stuff” now - STRAIGHTFORWARD Not like “The Right Stuff” now - STRAIGHTFORWARD Toughest part - TRAVEL Toughest part - TRAVEL Best parts Best parts Doing experiments when no one can predict what will happen Doing experiments when no one can predict what will happen Looking out the window Looking out the window

34. Space flight training 3 types of astronauts 3 types of astronauts Pilots Pilots Responsible for launch, landing and on-orbit operation of Space Shuttle Responsible for launch, landing and on-orbit operation of Space Shuttle Chosen by NASA Astronaut selection board Chosen by NASA Astronaut selection board Almost all are military pilots Almost all are military pilots Mission specialists Mission specialists Responsible for payload operations - science experiments, spacewalks, etc. Responsible for payload operations - science experiments, spacewalks, etc. Chosen by NASA Astronaut selection board Chosen by NASA Astronaut selection board Payload specialists Payload specialists Chosen because of need for a particular scientific / engineering / political expertise not available in regular astronaut corps Chosen because of need for a particular scientific / engineering / political expertise not available in regular astronaut corps Chosen by scientists with experiments on flight, or by political will Chosen by scientists with experiments on flight, or by political will Not present on most flights Not present on most flights Examples: PDR, John Glenn, Ilan Ramon (1st Israeli astronaut) Examples: PDR, John Glenn, Ilan Ramon (1st Israeli astronaut)

35. Space flight training Classroom training - Shuttle equipment &operations, communications, emergency procedures, photography, … Classroom training - Shuttle equipment &operations, communications, emergency procedures, photography, …

36. Space flight training Living in space Living in space

37. Space flight training Space walk (EVA) Space walk (EVA)

38. Space flight training Flight training Flight training

39. Perspective on space flight training

40. Earth Observations Tifernine Sand Dunes, Algeria

41. Earth Observations Lake Chad, Africa (South Basin)

42. Earth Observations Guadalupe Island, Mexico

43. Earth Observations Canary Islands, Africa

44. Earth Observations Deforestation in Brazil

45. Earth Observations Red Sea and Sinai Peninsula

46. Earth Observations Dead Sea - Israel

47. Earth Observations Hurricane Elena, September 1985

48. Earth Observations Tibet - Himalayas

49. Earth Observations Yellow River delta

50. Earth Observations Taiwan

51. Thanks to… Jhong-Li High School Jhong-Li High School Combustion Institute (Bernard Lewis Lectureship travel award) Combustion Institute (Bernard Lewis Lectureship travel award) NASA NASA